The Dark Destroyer
by Alcyone Fletcher
Summary: Finally continued. Not telling you anything else. Haha. R&R.
1. A Rebel Pilot

Disclaimer: I don't own anybody or anything.

A/N: I know this chapter isn't the best, but I had writer's cramp while writing this.  The next chapter would hopefully be much better!

Kelsey Dunn got into her new Manta.  She had joined the Rebellion Star Fleet a month ago here on Palshife.  Now the Third Rebel Fleet were going to an expedition to the Clotho system where a group of Confederates had gathered.  They were laying siege on Clotho Prime.  The Third fleet had 4 Rebel Cruisers, 6 Rebel Destroyers, and 20 Mantas.  The Mantas were all waiting in the Rebel Cruisers for their time to strike.

Suddenly, her radio crackled.  "We're taking off now."

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            Two days later... 

The fleet emerged from hyperspace into the Clotho System.  A number of Confederate cruisers and frigates were battling the stellar defense units of Clotho Prime. 

"All right guys, let's kick some Confed butt!" The captain yelled, and the Mantas came out from the bays.  

Kelsey felt her fingers tingle.  Now this was the life!  She had always hated just trading, but when she became 20, she had decided to join the Rebels. 

She gripped her control stick hard and eased her ship around the nearest Confederate frigate and opened fire.  Suddenly, it turned toward her and launched a torpedo.  She veered sharply to the right and dodged it, but it followed her.  Fortunately, torpedoes were slow, but she still had to be quick to keep out of its way.  As the torpedo burned out, she turned to the Frigate again and started shooting her laser cannon.  

All around her, battle raged on.  

On her screen, she could see how much shield the Frigate still had.  60%.  Hers was 70%.  She kept shooting, dodging each of the proton bolts the Frigate spewed out at her.  Other mantas, having finished their job, came to her assistance.  Her shield was now down to 40 %.  Still she fought.  30%.   20.  10...9...5...4...2... 

All of a sudden, the Frigate exploded.  Her Manta went sailing backwards, barely saved from exploding itself.  As her ship's shield slowly recovered, she looked around.  No more Confederates were visible.

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            For the past few days, the Third Rebel Fleet had stayed on Clotho Prime, celebrating their victory, but Kelsey was bored out of her wits.  Again.  Her blood lusted for adventure.  Finally, she got on her Manta and flew to Clotho II, the next planet in the Clotho system.  Clotho II was a dangerous planet.  Its dense green atmosphere was poisonous, and static electricity fizzed around her ship as it carefully descended into the atmosphere.  Lightning bolts flashed all around.  Slowly, she landed her ship in the bay of the Clotho II spaceport.

            She walked into the spaceport bar to get a drink.  The bar was always occupied by people who were there to get something to drink, to get updates on the Galactic War, or just hang around.  She sat on one of the chairs, watching the overhead screen.  Suddenly, she heard scuffling around the door of the bar and whipped around, spilling her drink.  

            Pirates were barring the doorway.  "Don't move, Rebels.  We've had enough of you.  You're going DOWN."

            TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Another Pirate

Disclaimer: I don't own EV.  I wish I did but I don't.  However, I do own the main character.  Sure, why not?  I thought of her right?  So I have every right to... never mind, on to the fic!  And don't use any of my characters without permission, please!  Crystal is totally my original character!

            The room was dark and damp.  A solitary figure lay in the center of the room.  She opened her eyes and slowly sat up.  The back of her head ached.  She did not know where she was or how she came to be there.

            Suddenly the door opened and in walked a pirate.  He was bald and was heavy-set. "Come out.  The captain wants to see you."  

            He led her down a long hallway.  "You, what's your name?"

            She shrugged.

            "What do you mean!?  You ain't got no name?"

            She shrugged again.

            "Forgot it?"

            She nodded. 

            Soon they reached a door glowing softly purple.  It slid open, and they entered into a large room.  One of the five walls was covered with screens.  In the center of the room, a man sat.  His chin was bony and his nose was aquiline.  His eyes were a piercing green.  

            The man who had brought the woman in saluted.  "Sir, I have taken the Rebel prisoner, just as you have commanded."

            A smile curled the man's thin lips.  "Ah, excellent, excellent.  What is your name, girl?"

            "That seems to be the problem.  I believe she has gotten amnesia.  Also her memory seems to have been erased."  

"Perhaps that machine has worked too well..." another man said.  He had blond hair and looked young.

            "What machine?  You have used the memory erasing machine?  Without my permission?" Furrows formed in the man's forehead.

            "I... I'm sorry Captain Jerrold, but I thought that.. it would be... useful.. for...  I mean, I heard that if the machine was used, then it would be nearly impossible for the victim to...uh..."

            "No matter," Jerrold interrupted harshly.  "It only erases the memory of her past and her identity, anyhow.  No brain damage otherwise.  She will remember about the Galactic Civil War, but not what role she played in it before.  You have actually done me a favor, Stark."

            The blond man gulped.  "I have?"

            "Why, yes.  Our scouts have noticed that she is a very skilful pilot.  She will be very useful for our cause.  Very useful.  Stark, what name shall we give her, now that she has forgotten her own?  Crystal, perhaps?"

            "Crystal?"

            "Yes.  Have you noticed her cold, hard eyes?"  He turned toward the girl.  "Crystal.  Would you like to work for our cause?  To destroy the Rebellion and the Confederation?"

            Crystal slowly nodded.

            "Very good.  I will assign you to a room.  Wait for my orders there.  Stark, take her to room 3."

            Stark exited from the main doorway.  Crystal followed behind.  They walked along a wide, bright corridor.  They passed several rooms.  Then they came to a wide hall.  Rooms 1, 2, and 3 's doors were here, and they entered Room 3.  

            Crystal was surprised as she entered the room.  A huge window was on one side of the room.  So far as she could see, she was on an uncivilized planet.  White rocks jutted out in the distance, making strange rock formations.  Above the horizon, blackness stretched as far as she could see, studded with stars.  

            The room was wide.  A screen was embedded into the wall.  Next to it was a small desk.  A sleeping capsule occupied the other corner of the room.   It looked clean.

            As Stark left the room, she looked around once more.  "A pilot for pirates.  Not bad.  Not bad at all!"

            And as Crystal settled into the room, one young Rebel pilot disappeared from the galaxy.

TO BE CONTINUED

R&R!

This story might have a few plot twists later on...


	3. Betrayal

Disclaimer: Ambrosia owns Escape Velocity.  I don't.  Stinks.

Bluebeard the Pirate smiled as he saw a Pirate Kestrel.  Another one of his allies.  He tugged on his blue beard contentedly.

            The Kestrel aligned itself next to the pirate Argosy, ready for the prey.  There was a strange round opening below its bridge, but Bluebeard paid no attention to it.  It was probably just another weapon.

            A Confederate Frigate approached, oblivious to the danger.  Bluebeard fired his missiles and accelerated his spaceship toward the Frigate.  He flew close up to the Frigate and began shooting his laser cannons.  

            On his radar, the dot turned red and quickly flew toward him.  Bluebeard dodged several missiles and fired more.  The Frigate flew closer toward his ship and fired its proton cannons.  They did little damage to his heavily modified Argosy.

            In the Frigate, the pilot was glaring furiously at the Argosy.  He had never expected it to be equipped with missiles.  Suddenly, the shield went down drastically to 10%.  Surprised, he looked at the radar.  Another red dot was approaching behind him.  He turned the Frigate around.  A pirate Kestrel flew into view.  

            _A Kestrel.  Easy._

            The Kestrel maneuvered around the torpedoes of the Frigate and suddenly paused.  A bright green beam shot from the opening below the bridge.

            Bluebeard watched in surprise as the beam sliced toward the Frigate..  It disappeared in a brilliant yellow explosion.

Bluebeard grinned.  Here was a potentially lethal ally.  He hailed the ship.  There was no response, and the next moment, it turned toward him, turning its green beam toward him.  Bluebeard stared in horror, then quickly grabbed his controls.  It was too late.  Hot flames enveloped him, and his ship disintegrated into nothingness.

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Back on Earth, the Confederate officer frowned in disgust.  He had just gotten a transmission from a Frigate passing through the Levo system.  They told him of a Kestrel with an unusual weapon, and in the middle of the message, the ship seemed to have exploded.  

He sent two Cruisers to take a patrol sweep through Levo and all its adjacent systems to find the pirate and destroy it.

A few days later, they too had disappeared, leaving no traces.

To be continued

R&R!!!!


	4. Destruction

Disclaimer: I don 


	5. The Defeat

Disclaimer: Duh, you know what I'm going to write here.  I don't own anyone.

One by one, the war vessels disappeared in bursts of fire.  The Kestrel was slowly but steadily approaching toward Davies' ship.  There was only one more Rebel Destroyer left when warships trimmed with blue hyperjumped into the system.  

            "Oh no.  Confeds."

            To Davies's surprise, the Confederates ignored the battered Rebel ships and flew straight for the Kestrel.  Two or three brave patrol ships flew right in front of the Kestrel, only to get destroyed.

            The Kestrel approached the second Rebel Cruiser.

            Davies grabbed the transmitter.  "This is hopeless!  Retreat!"  Then, without waiting for any response, he set the hyperjump route and banged the hyperjump button.  The ship stopped for a while and turned. 

            Crystal smiled as yet another Confederate Gunboat disappeared in flames.  Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a Rebel Cruiser preparing to hyperjump.

            "Coward." She muttered under her breath and accelerated her Kestrel toward the Cruiser.  She fired as soon as the ship was in her range.

            Davies watched helplessly as the Kestrel approached his ship.  It was soon in firing range, and the green beam hit the Cruiser.  The Rebel Cruiser rocked wildly and several of the crew was thrown down to the floor.  Meanwhile, the shields went down rapidly.  

            As soon as her beam touched the Cruiser, Crystal saw on her radar that its shield immediately went down 40 units.  She kept the beam targeted at it.  Now its shield was 20 percent....

            Suddenly, the Rebel Cruiser was yanked out of the beam's grasp and slid into hyperspace.

            Crystal glared at the ion trail.  "What a coward."  She turned toward the other Rebel Cruiser, which was also preparing for hyperspace and destroyed it.

            Several days later, Davies reported back to Palshife with the news.  Rebel High Command praised Davies for his quick thinking.  After the meeting, Davies walked into the spaceport bar, utterly worn out.  He had ordered a drink when General Stanley came up behind him.

            "Davies."

            "Not again," Davies sighed inwardly as he put on a grim smile to face the General.  "Yes, sir?"

            "The pirates have begun their work." He held the map of the galaxy in his hand and pointed to the Polaris system.  "They started to take over the most vulnerable planets, and they already have control over Northstar.  It won't be long before they destroy the Confederation... and us."

TO BE CONTINUED

R&R!!!!


	6. Lost

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.   
  
Polaris was taken. All the planets in the Matar system were destroyed. The pirates slowly advanced toward the core worlds, capturing each system one by one. Each attack usually consisted of a very small fleet of pirate vessels, centered around the Kestrel.  
  
A Rebel scout soon came to Palshife to report that the pirates were now moving toward Alkaid in the Alkaidion system. Rebel High Command reluctantly sent a fleet of 10 Rebel Cruisers and 14 Destroyers to Alkaidion. Many of the officers protested, but it was done nevertheless. They would resist to the death.  
  
  
A week later, the fleet reached Alkaid and landed. As the crew started out of their ships, a mighty blast shook the landing pad.  
  
They're here! Someone screamed.  
  
The Rebels scrambled back into their ships and took off. The atmosphere was thick with laser blasts and many Manta exploded before they flew out of the exosphere.  
  
Two Rapiers followed them close behind while three Corvettes swooped down on them for above. Then the Kestrel approached.  
  
As soon as it was in sight, all the Rebel ships dispersed frantically, leaving the Kestrel in the middle. They battered it with a profusion of missiles, torpedoes, and javelin rockets, but their attack was quickly repulsed as a Cruiser soon fell in pieces.  
  
Dash Riprock, a Rebel piloting a Manta, sped out of his Cruiser's bay as soon as the order was given. Dodging the floating debris, he quickly went up behind the Kestrel and attacked with all his weapons.  
  
The Kestrel's shield went down a mere 2 units. Dash Riprock groaned and ducked as the beam swept over his Manta narrowly. Then he went under the Kestrel and attacked again.  
  
General Lafayette had been watching the battle from the bridge. lamenting his misfortune for being sent on this defense mission. Now he watched in surprise, his mouth hanging open. One brave Manta had gone right up to the Kestrel. It displayed unusual agility. The Kestrel tried to hit it with its beam, but it was too clumsy for the Manta, which darted all around it. He could not believe his eyes as he looked at the radar- the Kestrel's shields were slowly- very slowly- decreasing. Now it was down to 79 percent. Lafayette shook the mist from his brains and ordered to charge.  
  
Crystal gnashed her teeth and tried to calm herself. She turned her ship toward the Manta, only to have it fly above her as if trying to taunt her. She wondered why her shield boosters were not working. Then she saw the Rebel Cruisers and Destroyers coming toward her again. She smirked and set the foremost one on fire. Suddenly, her ship's alarm rang, and she saw a red splotch move into her radar. She swiveled her ship around to see an unusual spaceship. It was shaped like a diamond. It was red and had curious patterns in a slightly darker shade.  
  
_Aliens.  
  
_Crystal banged her fist on the control panel in frustration. She had enough to do without interfering aliens joining the fight. She had to finish off that Manta first.  
  
The alien fighter flew right up to her and fired its red fusion beam. Crystal swore and wished a cruiser had come instead. Alien fighters were feared throughout the galaxy for their nearly impenetrable shields. She reluctantly turned her ship toward the fighter, but it dodged and went behind her, slowly eating up at her hull with its beam. It was unusually strong.  
Crystal looked at her shield. 60 %. What was she doing? This was the most powerful ship in the universe and she couldn't even kill an Alien fighter? She turned her ship again, and this time the green beam hit its target. Crystal locked on to the Alien with her beam, but the Alien also had its beam on her ship.  
  
Their shields both went down quickly. Suddenly, Crystal became aware of the ship's alarm wailing, and the terrible truth struck her in the face. She had lost. The once powerful Kestrel was no more. The alien fighter started to explode, but she did not care anymore. Trembling with rage, she pressed the button, and a split second before the Kestrel disappeared into flames, the escape pod glided into space.  
  
The escape pod had been tweaked so that it could be controlled and made to hyperjump. Crystal grabbed the controls and moved away from the planet, setting a course for Evildrome on her map.  
  
Inside the Rebel Cruiser, everything was joy and revelry. All the crew were shouting and hugging eachother. Lafayette still could not believe it and sat in the corner trying to collect his thoughts. Suddenly, he saw the escape pod on his radar screen. He hailed it, but he expected that the pod had no capability to respond. To his surprise, it did. As the pilot's face showed up on the screen, everyone fell silent. They   
recognized her.  
  
Kelsey Dunn! Lafayette finally forced his voice out.   
  
Crystal stared coldly back at him. Who is this Kelsey Dunn? My name is Crystal.  
  
Crystal? You... you were one of our best pilots! Lafayette croaked.  
  
I remember working for you Rebels before, but not anymore. I am a pirate. Crystal sounded almost like she had been hypnotized. Her voice was unnaturally cold and emotionless. Her eyes were empty and hard.  
  
Kelsey! Don't you remember me? We were best friends! Anne Grant, the pilot whispered.  
  
No. I never cared for any of you. Now hold your tongue! The screen went blank. Crystal had cut the connection. Anne swallowed painfully and excused herself.  
  
Crystal snapped her comm connection off, her eyes flaming. Fools, every one of them!  
  
The Rebel Cruiser tried to hail her again, but Crystal ignored it and hyperjumped.  
  
Several days later, she approached the blue planet of Evildrome. Just the sight of it soothed her usually, but now she was troubled about how to answer to the pirate officers. They would get insanely angry for sure.  
  
  
To be continued


	7. Under New Management

Disclaimer: I don't own EV. Wish I did, but I don't.  
  
A/N: I'm lazy, aren't I. I'm FINALLY updating.  
  
---------------------------------- Jerrold glared at the radar impatiently. "I thought she would be back by now," he hissed to himself. Nothing showed on the radar except for an occasional unfortunate trading ship which was immediately boarded or incinerated.  
  
Then the door opened and someone walked in. Jerrold turned around, expecting to see Stark and more of his petty complaints, but instead saw...  
  
Crystal.  
  
Jerrold stared in disbelief. "Where is the Kestrel? I didn't see it on the radar."  
  
"They destroyed it," Crystal replied.  
  
More staring. Then Jerrold erupted into furious screams. "You FOOL! What did you DO?"  
  
"Nothing. The aliens destroyed it, not me. I had no way of saving it."  
  
"AND YOU ARE CALM ABOUT THIS? Why, I'll..."  
  
"Don't bother, Jerrold. I have it all under control."  
  
"Control? The Kestrel was our only hope of ever dominating the galaxy. Now you've completely destroyed that hope and you say it's under CONTROL!?"  
  
"You see, it was your idiotic idea to entrust a whole pirate government on a single ship, and..."  
  
"Idiotic?" Jerrold interrupted, his voice now icy. His hand slowly began to steal toward the blaster strapped on his belt. Crystal noticed but pretended not to, while she stealthily groped for a certain weapon concealed in her pocket.  
  
"I see," Jerrold continued. "Not only are you a clumsy fool, but also a traitor. You know the penalty traitors suffer-"  
  
An orange flash filled the room for a moment. Something thudded to the floor. And Jerrold was no longer the ruler of Evildrome.  
  
---------------  
  
Stark whimpered nervously as he hurried through the hallway to Jerrold's room. Something was wrong. Just now he'd heard a crash from somewhere nearby in the HQ, and the Elec-Heat he had been brewing his Synthale on had failed. Probably Jerrold had banged the power source by mistake again when he was having another one of his tantrums.  
  
Now he was in front of Jerrold's room. He timidly knocked. No one answered. He stood there for a while, pondering what to do. He turned around to leave- but the thought of the Synthale changed his mind. Steadying himself, he pushed the door open just a crack. No one seemed to be inside. Finally, he opened the door completely.  
  
The next moment, a shadowy figure grasped his throat and dragged him into the room. Stark bit his lip in pain as he was shoved to the floor.  
  
"J...J..Jerrold... what are you doing?" he gasped and rolled over, only to stare into a fully charged blaster.  
  
"Jerrold is dead. And you'll be, as well- if you don't do what I say!" A voice hissed in his ear.  
  
Stark frowned for a moment. Then he looked up into the face of his captor. "Crystal!"  
  
"Took you long enough," Crystal scoffed. "Get up."  
  
Stark slowly sat up, inching away from the blaster as much as he could. "What do you want?" he asked, his face white at the sight of blood.  
  
Crystal looked around the room and spotted the emergency button on the back of Jerrold's chair. "The intercom wouldn't work since I accidentally short- circuited the power source," Crystal mused to herself. "So..." Crystal turned to Stark. "Go tell everyone here that they have a new leader. If they have any problems with that," she paused and motioned to Jerrold's chair. "I can always destruct the HQ and escape on my own."  
  
Stark froze.  
  
"Go!" Crystal glared at him.  
  
Stark ran for his life.  
  
Alone again, Crystal sat down in Jerrold's chair. It felt so good to be in power for once.  
  
She looked down at the dead man again. Some part of her felt disgust at the sight- along with ... some feeling she could not place. She brushed it away and turned toward the console beside the chair.  
  
---------------  
  
The battered and scarred Rebel Cruiser approached the Rebel HQ, victorious.  
  
"MISSION SUCCESSFUL," Lafayette typed. "KESTREL DESTROYED." He hit the button to send the message. Then he sat back in his comfortable seat and looked out the bridge window, watching the Rebel HQ approach.  
  
It felt so good.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


End file.
